Gastonia police sergeant named Cherryville's new chief

First the town of Lowell lost its city manager to Cherryville. Now the town of Lowell will lose a member of City Council – and the city of Gastonia a police sergeant - to the county’s most western town, which has been rocked in recent months by a police scandal.

Now the town of Lowell will lose a member of City Council – and the city of Gastonia a police sergeant - to the county’s most western town, which has been rocked in recent months by a police scandal.

Gastonia Police Sgt. Chad Hawkins will take over as police chief of Cherryville on March 18. Hawkins also has been a member of Lowell City Council for more than 11 years and would complete a full six terms in November.

However, Hawkins, 38, said Friday he will be moving to Cherryville soon, which would require him to resign from elected office in Lowell.

Hawkins takes over a police department that has been devastated since federal agents swooped into town in October and arrested six residents, four of whom had direct ties to law enforcement.

Two of the six worked for Cherryville police at the time of their arrest, and a third had been laid off in June, but still worked for the department as a reserve officer. A fourth was a former Gaston County Sheriff’s official.

All six await sentencing, but have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to a scheme to help transport purported stolen goods through the county without interference from law enforcement.

Cherryville’s former chief, Woody Burgess, resigned a few days after the scandal hit.

Ben Blackburn, a longtime Cherryville resident, had been Lowell’s city manager for a decade before being appointed to the town’s top job in November.

Blackburn cited his familiarity with Hawkins and his experience as reasons for appointing him police chief in a press release.

Hawkins has 18 years of law enforcement experience and joined the Gastonia department in 1998 after shorter stints with Cramerton and Lowell police.

Hawkins has a bachelor’s degree from Gardner-Webb University and is a candidate for his master’s of justice administration from Methodist University in December.

He is a member of the Woodlawn Baptist Church.

You can reach Online Editor Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or on Twitter @TheGazetteKevin.